Highway traffic down, roadwork continues
Several MTO projects deemed essential and remain active
The effects of the COVID-19 outbreak and forced closure of businesses deemed non-essential is showing on Niagara’s highways.
With many people working from home — or laid off from their jobs — traffic levels during peak times have dropped by as much as 40 per cent, according to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.
There’s little traffic congestion, but drivers are still contending with road and bridge repairs designated essential by Queen’s Park.
Those work sites have had to adjust to the times, with workers arriving and leaving in separate vehicles, respecting social distancing on the job, and more frequently cleaning vehicles and equipment.
“All of our infrastructure projects are vital to ensuring we keep our transportation network on a state of good repair,” said MTO spokesperson Astrid Poei.
The seven MTO projects deemed essential and continu- ing in Niagara are:
Rehabilitation of the QEW bridges over Fifteen Mile and Sixteen Mile creeks. That work started three years ago and is due to wrap up this summer, at a cost of $15 million.
Replacement of the QEW bridge over the Welland River in Niagara Falls. The four-year projected began last spring, and at a projected cost of $49 million is due to be completed in summer 2023.
Replacement of the CN/CP rail bridge, which started last spring, is expected to wrap up in summer 2022 at a cost of $41 million.
Bridge rehabilitation on Westchester Crescent and Westchester Avenue over Highway 406 in St. Catharines and at Twelve Mile Creek are due to finish this summer, costing $15 million. Work started three years ago.
Rehabilitation work continues on the Thorold Tunnel with one tube closed and the other converted for two-way traffic. That job started two years ago and is planned to finish in summer 2021, costing $15 million.
Work continues on the highways 406 and 58 and St. David’s Road interchange. It is planned to finish this summer, costing $30 million. The project began three years ago.
Structural rehabilitation work goes on, also, at Chestnut Street and the CNR overpass on Highway 406 in St. Catharines. At a cost of $7 million, that work started two years ago and is due to wrap up this summer.
Poei said “given the current situation, we anticipate traffic impacts to be minimal.”
In an email, she said based on the ministry’s real-time data, traffic “volumes during the peak (morning) and (evening) travel periods have been reduced by 30 to 40 per cent compared to the same time in 201819.”
More information on provincial highway work is available at 511on.ca.